Parliament is back in session- what's on the agenda for pancreatic cancer?

It’s the start of September and that can only mean one thing in politics – Parliament is back and we’re ready for another action-packed term in Westminster.

Over the coming months, Parliamentarians will be working on a number of key pieces of legislation and policies that could have major implications for people with pancreatic cancer.

And thanks to thousands of you who have called on your MPs for their help over the last year,  pancreatic cancer is higher on the political agenda than ever before.

These next few months in Parliament will be a crucial moment for finally getting  pancreatic cancer the attention it deserves.

With this in mind, we give you the low-down on some major political moments to watch out for. 

Party conference season

Party conferences are a chance for MPs to connect with a variety of key stakeholders – including charities like us – to discuss policy ideas and shape the priorities for the current Parliament. So these autumn conferences are a crucial opportunity for us to raise awareness of the issues facing people with pancreatic cancer and build our network of political champions who can campaign on our behalf in Westminster.

Last year, we had an amazing response to our award-winning stand, with over 100 MPs visiting us during the Liberal Democrat and Labour Party Conferences. We were incredibly grateful to the more than 500 supporters who wrote to their MPs encouraging them to visit us – your support made a massive difference.

We’ll be back in Liverpool for Labour Party Conference in late September to host another stand. And this year, we are incredibly excited to be joined by the scientists behind the pioneering the breath test.

Professor George Hanna at Imperial College London has developed the world’s first breath test for pancreatic cancer, using chemicals in the breath called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) to identify people who may have this deadly disease. They will be demonstrating this exciting new technology, and shining a spotlight on the importance of research in saving thousands of lives.

As part of our work with the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce, we’ll also be hosting a panel event in collaboration with the New Statesman on the importance of earlier diagnosis of the less survivable cancers.

We’ll be sharing more updates during the Conference, so be sure to check out our activity on social media.

Got a Labour MP?

Invite your MP to visit our stand

National Cancer Plan

The Department of Health’s much anticipated National Cancer Plan is due to be launched over the next few months. This new cancer plan will set out the Government’s approach to improving cancer services across the UK.

This is a vital opportunity to transform pancreatic cancer survival in England – so thank you again to the more than 140 of you who submitted your own response to the plan consultation, and the 70,000 who signed our open letter calling for pancreatic cancer to be prioritised!

Our team has been working hard behind the scenes to make sure the plan is a gamechanger for people facing pancreatic cancer. Find out more in our blog post:

Five key ways we’ve been influencing the plan

The House of Lords gears up to debate the Rare Cancers Bill

Just 3% of annual UK research spending on cancer is invested in pancreatic cancer. But the Rare Cancers Bill could finally change this.

The Rare Cancers Bill is a Private Member’s Bill introduced by Dr Scott Arthur, the Labour MP for Edinburgh South West. The Bill has the potential to drive much-needed research and ensure a greater focus on cancers affecting fewer than 1 in 2000 people across the UK – which includes five of the six less survivable cancers (pancreatic, brain, liver, stomach and oesophageal cancers).

We have been proud to support the passage of the Bill in Parliament so far and thrilled that it has successfully made its way through the House of Commons – no easy feat for a Private Member’s Bill, only around 10% of which make it this far. The Bill is now in the House of Lords, where it will progress to the Second Reading in the autumn. At this stage, the Lords will debate the Bill’s provisions in detail.

A massive thank you to the thousands of our fantastic supporters who have urged their MPs to support the Bill and have helped us to drive progress so far. Your support has been invaluable in highlighting the potential this Bill could have for people with pancreatic cancer.

We will continue to work closely with Peers and MPs to ensure the Bill works as best it can for people with pancreatic cancer and the other less survivable cancers.

Read our full update on the Rare Cancers Bill 

APPG on Less Survivable Cancers

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Less Survivable Cancers has another action-packed few months ahead.

The APPG on Less Survivable Cancers is a new cross-party parliamentary group. It is chaired by Paulette Hamilton MP and made up of more than 20 MPs and Peers who are passionate about tackling the less survivable cancers: pancreatic, brain, liver, lung, oesophageal, and stomach cancer. The APPG advocates for action to improve survival rates, as currently only 16% of people diagnosed survive five years. The group is calling for earlier and faster diagnosis, equitable access to the best treatments, and investment in vital research.

Our members and officers will be contributing to a Westminster Hall Debate on the less survivable cancers after recess. This debate will put pressure on the Government to consider the APPG’s 12 practical, urgent actions needed to enhance earlier detection and faster diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and other less survivable cancers.

Our APPG Chair, Paulette Hamilton MP, will be working closely with other APPGs linked to cancer to explore opportunities for collaboration to amplify our calls for progress.  We will also be hosting informative spotlight sessions for parliamentarians to give them the opportunities to hear from charity representatives, clinicians, patients and other stakeholders about the vital steps needed to improve outcomes for people with a less survivable cancer, including pancreatic cancer.

To keep up-to-date with the APPG’s latest activity, please visit its website here.

Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s always an important moment for us to connect with our parliamentary champions and help to raise awareness of this deadly cancer among MPs and Peers who may be less familiar with our work.

What else is going on in Westminster?

During the autumn period, there are several political developments that will have a wider impact on our healthcare system and may have consequences for people with pancreatic cancer.

Our influencing work across the UK 

It is an incredibly busy period in all four nations and we are hugely grateful for our amazing supporters who are championing better outcomes for people with pancreatic cancer across the UK. With elections coming up in Scotland and Wales, we have an action-packed few months ahead and there will be plenty of opportunities for our supporters to get involved with all our campaigning activities. Read our latest blog more updates on what to expect over the coming months in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Read about our influencing work across the UK